Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Knock at the Cabin - I've said this before, but I'm not exactly the biggest fan of M. Night Shyamalan. HOWEVER, his films are bold and have interesting narratives, so I will always watch them and hope for the best (I've liked a few). I liked that the trailer for this didn't give too much away - it definitely created intrigue. There's also a very interesting cast here - Dave Bautista has been great in superhero stuff, but I was curious to see his actual acting chops. I LOVE Jonathon Groff (not just because of Glee, he was excellent in Mindhunter). And the hot guy from Spoiler Alert (he's still hot in this! I should probably learn his name). They all exceed expectations, as does the rest of the supporting actors. Aside from Rupert Grint - that boy can NOT act to save his life. As for the story, it's quite interesting - it instantly reminded me of 10 Cloverfield Lane, which I loved, with these people having to trust strangers telling them that the world is going to end. Personally, I just would not believe it - there are too many crazy people in the world, but if I did believe what this group were telling me, I would absolutely sacrifice myself for the survival of everyone else. It's a very biblical tale set in a modern world, and a very strong premise. BUT, I think centering this story on a gay couple is a huge error in judgement. This group of people have to destroy a gay family in order to save the world??? That just sends a terrible message to all the homophobes out there. I'm a very anti-religious person, but I think people are free to believe in whatever they want. If someone is homophobic because it's against their religion - fine. I don't agree with it, but whatever. But, it's these crazy religious zealots that think it's their job to police other's sexuality that really angers me. Anyway, I'm not going to go on a whole tangent, but my point is that this film feels very homophobic to me and I'm not sure if that's intentional? It's also one of those movies that you have to just "go along" with instead of asking questions - like how on Earth do they clean up the bodies and ALL that blood within minutes???? The news footage also looks incredibly fake, so I would definitely not believe it for that alone (and all the people hanging out on the beach after an earthquake?? Everyone knows to get off the beach in case of a tsunami that often follows earthquakes. So dumb). I also questioned if Shyamalan works with the same cinematographer for his films because there are always shots in his films that feel amateur (it's actually my biggest criticism of his films), and I realized that maybe it's not his fault, but no, he uses different people in almost every movie - so it's all on him. It just feels like Film School 101 sometimes. While I like the ending *spoilers ahead*, I do think this is probably not the time to let the conspiracy theorists win. 

2. Luckiest Girl Alive - I liked this movie more than I was expecting to. I thought it kind of looked like a Lifetime movie (do those even exist anymore or am I aging myself??). I just love Mila Kunis so much though. And not just as an actress - I think she's an awesome human - she's funny, self-deprecating, smart, charitable (although I was initially impressed when she donated 3 million to Ukraine only to learn that her and her husband have a combined fortune of 275 million LOL. I hate rich people so much sometimes). Anyway, I was surprised at the depth explored in this - and I feel like it could have better told within a mini-series because there's actually so much to the story that could have been explored more if they had the time. There is a very interesting story here about the aftermath of a school shooting - in which the bully/rapist (and catalyst for the shooter to go on his spree) survives the shooting and is seen as a national hero now. While I never want to place blame on a victim, sometimes I think people are a little too quick to idolize others. And in this case the victim is a very, very, very shitty person. I also think Mila does a fantastic job at this very layered character that she creates - it's the story of a woman who has put this protective layer around her, so much so, that she basically becomes another person. A person who lives a privileged, wealthy, loved life. This persona of a woman who loves hearing her husband call her "babe" (sorry, but it makes me cringe so hard. Both my husband's sisters and their partners call each other "babe" so when we have family dinners we hear "babe" like 20 times and my husband and I sit there taking deep breaths so we don't explode at them LOL.); the type of woman who cares about her weight (the scene when she inhales her food after her fiance leaves is hilarious). It's an incredibly nuanced role, and I don't think I've ever seen Mila really push herself like this. I do have a slight nit-pick, though, with the line in which she says something like "petite is what they call short fat girls" is...weird? I don't think that's true at all - I'm 5ft and a stick (95lbs on a good day) and I'm most often described as petite. It's always been used as a compliment - so it's confusing that someone sees it as an insult? Anyway, I like this movie, but it all feels a little too rushed. There's also a great supporting cast - Connie Britton, Scoot McNairy, Jennifer Beals & Finn Wittrock. Plus, an incredible performance from newcomer Chiara Aurelia. And I like the writing advice that she is given at the end, which is to write as if nobody is ever going to read it. That's exactly what I do and I promise you, it is very freeing. 

3. Tetris - I really liked this. Shocking, I know. It reminded me a lot of Argo and I loved Argo (actually, this made me want to watch Argo again, because I think I've only seen it once). But, I fully admit that I probably would not have enjoyed it as much if Taron Egerton wasn't in it. And it seems I'm not the only one, because I read a LOT of reviews, and even the reviews that are less favorable still tout Taron as being absolutely charming and engaging. I think a lot of people may have assumed that his performance in Rocketman was a fluke, but with this and Black Bird, I think people are finally starting to take notice. As much as I love him in this role, and the range that he shows here, I do think that the casting is a little problematic. Henk Rogers was part Indonesian (it's even stated in the movie), so whitewashing the role isn't the best option. However, this is one of those cases that I think sits right on the line - because I don't get the sense that Rogers really identifies himself as anything other than an American (he is also Dutch, but grew up in America and then moved to Japan for this wife). It sort of reminds me of my husband's situation because he's half Cuban, but would not care if someone playing him was also half Cuban because he's mostly just a white American. As I said, it's an "iffy" situation, but Henk had some say in the script and was consulted on the movie, and he's obviously not the type to back down, so if he had a problem with the casting, surely he would have said something??? Anyway, obviously, I'm biased because I think Taron is perfect (his only flaw is that he puts mayo on pizza) and he was so cute promoting this movie because he very clearly is not really a big fan of Tetris the game (he literally said "it's definitely addictive, but so is crack" LOL WHAT TARON??), and he compared wearing a fake mustache to the pain of giving child birth (I'm still laughing at this). Anyway, as far as the movie goes, I do think it would have fallen apart a little if it weren't for Egerton's charm. It feels like it doesn't know what kind of movie it wants to be so it just straddles the line of being this weird combination of Cold War espionage and silly nostalgia-based biopic. It works, but barely. Like the Tetris themed interludes for the car chase scene and character introductions - which Vaughn said was Taron's idea - it's just...odd, but also made it extremely watchable. Like, I couldn't take my eyes off of it. It definitely gets a little repetitive and could have easily been 20 minutes shorter. The supporting cast is great (Toby Jones and Nikita Efremov, in particular. Although doesn't Efremov look like Joe Alwyn??? Like...identical?) and the soundtrack is super (I still have "The Final Countdown" in my head and I watched this movie a month ago). 

4. Rye Lane - I like this movie too! I don't think it's as good as some of the praise suggests, but it's really cute and sweet, with some funny quick dialogue, and the actors are really charismatic. Vivian Oparah and David Johnson are delightful together. There are parts about it that I like a lot - I love how they put themselves into the flashback scenes (that Sienna Miller movie that nobody saw did something similar - it's a really cool way to use flashbacks within the narrative). The karaoke scene is EVERYTHING that I wanted it to be and then some. And the cameo appearance by none other than COLIN FIRTH??? How fucking random is that?? And also really, really hilarious. I'm not sure that I like the distracting camerawork - like the over use of the fish-eye lens. I just don't think it's necessary here - the film is already interesting because the characters have charm and depth and it's written well. But overall, it's a cute and lighthearted rom-com that has some laugh out loud moments and memorable scenes. I think it does a good job of also incorporating real world discussions about gentrification, racism, and mental health without bogging down the story. 

5. There's Something Wrong with the Children - Blumhouse Production just keeps churning out these low-budget horror movies, and I just keep watching them. The only reason this film rates slightly higher than a 1 star movie is because of the cast. It's very bad, though. I love Zach Gilford (aka Matt Saracen) so much, even if he plays the same character in everything. And it's the actress from Silicon Valley! It took me a good hour to figure out how I know her until I finally gave in and looked it up. I don't know the others in the cast, but everyone gives really strong performances. It's just....very dull and predictable. I don't think it's particularly scary, either - it follows the "kids are creepy" trope (and these kids are super creepy even before they're supposed to be!). And, as always with horror movies, the characters do really, really stupid things. But, I do think the actors did a great job at grounding it in reality, and some of the conversations about having (or not having) children are really interesting. I also like the overpowering 80s horror movie score, even though it's a modern day movie (although it could be told during any decade of the last 50 years if they just got rid of the cellphones). I just wish it had some bigger scares, a bit of a faster pace, and some surprises. 

Film Retrospective Part I: Thoughts on 10 Films (pre-1970)

So this year I decided to watch some film classics - (pre-1970 including blind spots and some re-watches). Here are my quick thoughts on what I've watched so far...

1. East of Eden - [blind spot] I know this is shocking to no-one, but James Dean was Hot with a capital H. Also, a very, very good actor. This is a great re-telling of the biblical tale of Cain and Abel set during WWI. Adapted from the John Steinbeck novel, it focuses on two brothers competing for their father's love and respect. Aside from Dean's performance, the film is a little inconsistent in tone and structure, but it's still worth a watch. It was actually Elia Kazan's film Splendor in the Grass that made me want to focus on watching some missed classics. I watched that in 2021 and fell in love with it (and Natalie Wood). I plan on re-watching A Streetcar Named Desire and On the Waterfront at some point too. 

2. Sunset Boulevard - [re-watch, mostly] I *may* have seen this before - I double majored in Drama Studies & Film Theory so I definitely watched a lot of classic films for school, but we also watched a lot of classic scenes without watching the whole movie and I have a bad memory so sometimes I can't really remember if I've seen a whole movie or just parts of it. It didn't really seem very familiar to me until the iconic final scene (with her legendary line "I'm ready for my close up Mr. Demille"). Gloria Swanson was an acting force!! I don't think I've seen her in anything else, but she follows the same career as her character - having been a fairly well-known silent film actress in the 20s and then "aging out" of new Hollywood. It's interesting that I watched this not long before I watched Babylon (which is clearly influenced by several classic films including this one). I also like the structure of the story starting with the main character's death and then him recounting how it happened - this is obviously a popular structure technique now, but surely groundbreaking for Hollywood pictures in the 1950.

3. The Big Sleep - [blind spot] Two words: Lauren Bacall. She's one of those classic Hollywood starlets that I knew was a legend, but I've never actually seen her in anything (other than more modern stuff like as a guest star in tv shows, etc.). Her voice is distinct, but she also has this absolutely delicious line delivery that I could watch for hours. Obviously the chemistry between Bacall and Bogart is undeniable, and makes this movie a bit stronger than the actual plot. It's overwhelmingly convoluted, and unnecessarily complicated. However, the dialogue is smart, fast, and often funny. I'm just not sure that it makes any sense? 

4. 12 Angry Men - [re-watch] One of the greatest films ever made (one of the few films that I rate 5 stars), and it still holds up 66 years later. Minimal set design, mostly one location, it heavily relies on the actors and the dialogue to keep the audience's interest, and that they do. Every single one of these actors shine at some point in the story - creating complex characters with even more complex moral codes within minutes. I think it's an interesting watch in the present day in relation to our current reliance on social media vs journalism. When a story breaks there are just SO. MANY. who rush to judgement and very decisive conclusions with absolutely zero research or questioning. It's kind of fascinating, but also very, very scary for the future. People seem to be ostracized for the simple act of asking a question (that may contradict the accepted narrative) and I have seen, first-hand, how this negatively impacts a cause - creating diversion among people who have the same goals (I think Covid is a huge example of this. People who question the vaccine and the effectiveness of masks are automatically judged as selfish, anti-vaxxers, who are somehow ok with people dying, but that's not true - everyone wants to get rid of Covid, but clearly the current measures aren't working? Can we start questioning why? Back at the end of 2021, when Omicron was rampant, the town I work in still had a mask mandate so every single person coming in to my store had to wear a mask (and I even bought all the employees the KN95 ones) and YET it still swept through my entire team! Out of 36 employees only 3 didn't get it (myself included - and I still haven't had it that I know of. I've been sick a few times, but all Covid tests have been negative). So...uh...masks...? That's still our solution? Why? One of my employees still wears a mask and yet she's had Covid THREE times! I'm not one for shaming people (wear the mask if it makes you feel comfortable), but I truly don't understand why we aren't demanding a better solution. And a vaccine that works). OHMYGOD I'm sorry for the tangent (it's my brand *shrugs shoulders*). I truly just forgot what I was even writing about. 12 Angry Men! Just the greatest courtroom drama ever - about perspective, judgement, questioning narratives and popular opinion, etc. I just love it. 

5. Gigi - [blind spot] Honestly, I wish I never watched this one. I assumed, with all of those Oscars, that it was a great film. It's not. Starting off with the creepy song "Thank Heaven for Little Girls", it's truly a startling misogynistic and bordering on pedophilia story. I really questioned what the fuck I was watching, multiple times. The songs are mostly awful, it's not even really a musical (there are no big musical numbers), and it's boring. Some of the costumes are wonderful, though. That white dress with the black shoulder details is stunning. Other than that, I hope I forget everything about it. Quickly. 

6. Dr. Strangelove or: how I don't feel like writing out the whole title - [re-watch] SO, this is a movie that everyone loves, that I did not care for when I watched it 20+ years ago. I re-watched it solely for the purpose of reassuring myself that I was right in my stance. But, I was not. It's great. I just think as a 22 year old young woman, I did not get it. I've always been a bit up and down with Kubrick (I LOVE A Clockwork Orange, 2001, and Full Metal Jacket. Sort of indifferent on The Shining and I loathe Eyes Wide Shut). But I think with this, I went into it taking it way too seriously, when it's actually very, very funny. I obviously knew it was supposed to be satire, but again, as a 22 year old living outside of NYC pre and post 9/11, I could not find the humor in it. I've now learned how to laugh at horrifying situations as a way to survive (especially after the political landscape we've endured over the past 7 years). 

7. Funny Face - [re-watch] I've seen most of Audrey's bigger films (aside from the next one on the list), but this is one that I couldn't clearly remember. I really liked it. It's perfectly "Audrey" (I love her - I probably don't mention that very much on this blog because I rarely write about older films, but she's one of my favorite actresses of all-time, and she was such a lovely, lovely person. She had such a strong screen presence, and an iconic style - there's just nobody else like her (especially in the modern world - but there are a few that I would very hesitantly say are a close representation like Florence Pugh). It's fascinating that there are so many basic fashion trends that are attributed to Audrey still to this day (cigarette pants, black turtlenecks, ballet flats, the list goes on). I'm not sure the story really holds up today (and the age difference between Audrey and Fred Astaire...*green throwing up face emoji*), but it's beautiful to look at - the set design, costumes, musical numbers are all ace. 

8. Charade - [blind spot] As much as I love Audrey, I was stunned to realize that I have not, in fact, ever seen this. When I started watching it, I *thought* it was a re-watch, but nothing seemed familiar to me AT ALL. Usually when something is a re-watch but I don't have a strong memory of it, I'll start to recognize certain parts, but just...nothing with this! It's sort of amazing that this passed me by, because it is extremely my shit. It's very Hitchcockian, with major twists and turns, and the chemistry between Hepburn and Cary Grant is INSANE. Plus, some of Audrey's most iconic looks are featured here! The lemon colored pea coat! The leopard pill box hat! The red Givenchy skirt suit! Legendary. 

9. Number Seventeen - [re-watch] I have seen every single Hitchcock film (again, something I don't talk about because I focus on modern films on this blog, but I'm a Hitchcock super fan - most of my film studies focused on Hitch and/or his influences on filmmaking). But this is a film that I rated super low compared to the rest of his films, and I wondered why. But this is a case in which, unfortunately, I was right - it's not very good. There are some cool shots, but there is very little plot - and what's there is very confusing; nor is there interesting characters. I did a little bit of reading on this after I re-watched and I'm not surprised that this is one of those films that Hitchcock did not want to make (and he called it awful afterwards, so we can agree on that!). 

10. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof - [blind spot] Again, as a Drama Studies major, I've read the Tennessee Williams play (multiple times) and I've seen it performed live on stage (also multiple times), but somehow the film eluded me. Even more surprising because of the combined star power of Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman. It's a great story, obvi, but they really sell it. I think it's interesting to watch this, as a part of a modern audience, first knowing that the original play was way more gay, but also that Newman himself was gay (or bisexual? I don't think he ever had an official coming out, right? Just others claiming to have had affairs with him?). I would like to think that people don't have to suffer like this anymore, but there are still so many people who aren't comfortable in their own skin, or aren't able to accept who they are, because of societal expectations. While Newman is an incredible actor, I found myself really impressed with Taylor here. I always think of her as being a bit over-dramatic in her roles but she's strong here. I enjoyed this, overall, but I cringed at how many times they say "Big Daddy" (it's A LOT). 

Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Watcher - I like Maika Monroe a lot (just not in the Independence Day sequel), but I knew my problem with this movie was going to be that apparently NOBODY believes in window coverings. It's just so stupid. If I moved into a place and there were no window coverings, it would be the first thing on my list (or I would just tack up some sheets as a temporary solution, especially before having sex in front of the window - but I'm not a particularly voyeuristic person. I'm observant, for sure, but I don't actively seek out watching strangers nor do I want them watching me). The even more odd thing is that after multiple times of this woman seeing a creepy man watching her from across the building, she finally closes curtains (if there were curtains there the whole time then why didn't she do that in the beginning????). ANYWAY, aside from this, I like this movie - it has a really creepy feel to it, the acting is great, some interesting shots, and the pace is perfect. Burn Gorman is so good in this (and it's weird that I instantly knew it was him just from his shadowy figure. His stance and profile is so recognizable). I also like that her partner isn't outwardly an asshole to her when she starts to share her fears of being stalked - he supports her, goes to the supermarket to watch the surveillance of the stalker, and seems genuinely concerned. But we quickly realize that he doesn't actually believe her and finds it easier to support her because he can then prove to her that she's "crazy". It's gaslighting at its finest and most subtle. This could have easily been a 4 star movie, but they botched the ending (as most horror films do...). *MAJOR SPOILER AHEAD* I was so shocked, in a good way, when she is seemingly murdered by the "watcher", because they never kill the final girl! I instantly cheered, not because I wanted her murdered, but because the look of guilt and regret her partner gives the murderer when he realizes that she is not crazy, is a perfect image. And really brings home the notion that if we start BELIEVING WOMEN maybe we won't be murdered as much??? But then, she's not actually dead, because she's the final girl (UGHHHH). And it just becomes another cliched horror ending. 

2. Boston Strangler - Not a fan of this - it's just trying to be Zodiac so badly, it makes me cringe thinking about it. There are some things I do like about this - particularly the focus on these two female journalists trying to solve this mystery over the actual depiction of murderer(s) brutally raping & killing women. They limit the violence and don't engage in this humanity aspect of murders (The Sopranos effect is still going strong. I don't mind it when it's done well, but I feel like it's overkill at this point). I also like Keira Knightley in most things and I LOVE Carrie Coon. They have good chemistry and play off of each other very well. I didn't really know much about the Boston Strangler, but I'm not really a big fan of serial killer true crime history - it's fascinating how many people are, though, and I can't help but feel that a majority of these people live very, very, good lives and watch/read/listen to true crime stuff because they've never really had bad things happen to them. If you have, a more natural reaction is to avoid stuff like this. I don't necessarily avoid it, but I certainly don't want to drown myself in material about women being violated and murdered. It's also fascinating that way too many of these murders/serial killer crimes are partially solved by people outside of law enforcement (which I think is another reason these things are so popular - people have this sort of hero complex as if they are going to be the one to solve it). This kind of goes hand in hand with my comments above on Watcher with the importance of believing women. It's a similar story with the Jeffrey Dahmer situation - there was a woman, Glenda Cleveland, who went to the police MULTIPLE times complaining about her neighbor and nobody did anything. So many lives could have been saved. Anyway, I do think it's sort of hilarious that they released this on St. Patrick's Day - a film that disparages the Boston police department as an embarrassment to law enforcement. I don't think it was done on purpose, but it's still funny. 

3. Devotion - I haven't seen someone's career do a 180 this quickly, maybe ever? I watched this a little before Jonathon Major's arrest - and the internet could not get enough of him. With his role as Kang and the success of the new Creed movie, he was on top of the freakin' world. I haven't really formed a full opinion of him yet - he was in my favorite movie of 2021 (The Harder They Fall), but he wasn't the standout performance. I liked The Last Black Man in San Francisco but his performance wasn't rave-worthy. I LOVED Lovecraft Country, but I didn't even mention his performance in my review - he was mediocre amongst an incredibly talented cast. And I barely remember Loki at all (nor do I remember a thing about Kang). Anyway, I felt like he was becoming one of those actors that was over-praised a little too quickly, but I usually mind my business when this happens. There's still a lot we don't know about the incident that led to Major's arrest, but as I stated above - in both Watcher and Boston Strangler, the theme and lesson from both is to believe women. I obviously still believe in the law, and that everyone is innocent until proven guilty, but the justice system has been a constant letdown because we simply don't believe women, as a society. Very few women lie about situations like this - and in most situations in which statements are recanted and charges are dropped it's because women just don't want to be put through the ringer again. It's like being abused all over again. I think the even bigger problem we have is that there were suddenly all of these industry people with "insider" knowledge claiming "I knew it!". I'm sorry, but these people are fucking disgusting. If you know that someone is abusive and you don't speak up until something like this happens, you're almost just as bad as an abuser. Just morally reprehensible. And I know that sometimes, you might feel like it's not your business, and if that's the case, then it's still not your business - why are you announcing your prior knowledge as some sort of badge of honor? Anyway, as far as this movie goes - it's fairly average, as I expected. I read a few really good things about it, but I just couldn't bring myself to watch it (I think it was on the top of my to-watch list for 4 weeks before I actually hit play), again it's because I think both of the leads are currently so popular, it became a little too over-praised. I do like Glen Powell, but I don't understand why he would take a role so similar to Top Gun: Maverick so quickly? He's at a pivotal moment in his career in which showing range is integral. Also, Powell is so my type, and yet...??? Nothing. But the truly disappointing thing is that this is probably the best thing I've seen Majors in - he is an acting FORCE in this. The scene with him in the mirror, is so well done (it's also filmed brilliantly). Unfortunately, nothing else about it is very memorable. It all plays out exactly how you expect it to even without knowing the story of these two men. The movie literally could have been titled Top Gun: The Forgotten War. I coincidentally watched Red Tails a few days before this, which is basically the same movie, as well. Two other observations: Is that a Jonas brother??? I'm too lazy to look it up, but LOL why are they in movies now? And men in bomber jackets = HOT. 

4. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish - Well this is surprisingly wonderful. I know I shouldn't be surprised because it has outstanding reviews and was nominated for an Oscar for animation, but I didn't really believe the hype. I'm not really a fan of the Shrek franchise...like, at all. I hadn't seen the first Puss in Boots, so I watched that first, and was like "oh, ok that was really cute!", and then this sequel is just soooooo good. It just barely misses my Top 10 of 2022. That's how good it is. The animation is lovely, but I'm really just a sucker for stories about cute cats (and a cute dog too!). The plot is that Puss in Boots has to retire as a lap cat because he had "died" 8 times, so he's on his "last" life. He finds out a way to have his "last wish" granted that might give him more lives so he sets out on an adventure along with his partner in crime, Kitty Softpaws (from the first one), and this eager to be friends dog, Perrito. It's all just super-duper cute. And I laughed way too hard multiple times, but mostly when Perrito starts horrendously cursing and it's all bleeped out (literal tears in my eyes from laughing so hard). The voices are all perfectly cast - Antonio Banderas has been voicing this role for years and he is wonderful - he really gives a full personality to Puss in Boots that is loveable and vulnerable, while still being this suave narcissist. Plus, Salma Hayek (can't go wrong), Harvey Guillen, Olivia Colman and BEST OF ALL Florence Pugh. I adore her, but her voice is perhaps my favorite part of her. She should definitely do more voice work (preferably with Taron Egerton - can you imagine their voices TOGETHER. Also, they should date. They are both hot, goofy, charming and like to cook. Someone set them up!). 

5. Official Competition - While I'm not in love with the movie as a whole, I absolutely love Penelope Cruz in this role and there are some unforgettable moments within it. I just realized that I did an unintentional Antonio Banderas double-bill, with wildly different movies. But, Banderas is also stunning in this - I've never really been a huge fan (other than The Skin I Live In, I can't think of another performance that really stands out for me), but there is a scene featuring him in this movie that I will remember forever. But back to Cruz, because I'm in love with her and her Natasha Lyonne hair in this. This is just such a stunning character - this sort of chaotic, rule-breaking, ingenious film director isn't exactly new, but I don't think we've ever seen this type of character portrayed as a woman film director before. The way the two male actors have to follow along with her all while calling her crazy, when you know that if the director was male they would be worshipping him. It's not really what the movie is about, but the underlying feminist statement is very clear. AND I LOVE IT. She's also very funny (when she makes the joke asking if all of his kids are from the same penis. I died.). I also like that it depicts the mind-numbing process of film-making. The table read is horrendous. The repetitiveness of it, the detail, it's all just so boring, but I feel like film-makers usually depict it as glamourous when it's not...at all. And as I said, there are some really unforgettable moments - I'll never forget her grinding up all of his awards in the metal grinder (so satisfying) and then the other actor throws in a rubber duckie (so funny!). Overall, though, it lacks consistency and structure, and the tonal shifts are really wild. I enjoyed it though and that's what counts!